Northampton High School’s Students of Color Alliance is writing to show our support for the Town Hall with Rep. Sabadosa and Sen. Comerford on Feb. 15. We, as a club, along with other activist groups from around the Valley, are co-sponsoring this event in order to boost civic engagement and youth activism in current and future politics. Youth engagement is imperative because it fosters an understanding of issues relevant to us. The policies decided by our representatives will affect us as we move into the world as adults. We must ensure that all young people know their rights and receive support from our community.
As advocates for racial justice, we want our representatives to examine issues that directly affect young people of color. Education is a critical example that diversely affects minority groups; it is one area that representatives can focus on as an opportunity to help support them. Additionally, underserved students would benefit from creating support systems like bettering our English Language Learners program. Through directing more funding to education, schools can become a place for students to grow and we can improve the experience of young people of color, especially lower-income students, going through the education system where they are often allowed to slip through the cracks. Furthermore, additional discussions of racism should be included in our curriculum from a young age. Because of the intersections of race and class, often low-income families tend to be non-white families. Our representatives need to focus on creating policies that will help these families in the long term, be it at school, at work, or in other areas. Improving public services, such as transport, can help low-income families have more access to services outside of walking distance.
As a club, we aim to shed light on these issues and inspire our community members to work towards a solution. The Feb. 15 Town Hall with Rep. Sabadosa and Sen. Comerford is a great opportunity to reach the public, to spark discussions, and to involve young people in local politics. We hope many of you will take this opportunity to engage.
Amina Meckel-Sam
Northampton